Compare
Buoy vs Keel
Keel provides backend services and team tools, not client-side inspection tools.
Which to pick
Pick Buoy if you want…
- In-app inspection of mobile apps
- Integrations with React Native, Expo or Claude Code (on Buoy's list, not Keel's)
Pick Keel if you want…
- Code-first backend with built-in internal tools
- Backend infrastructure
- Open-source code (teamkeel/keel on GitHub)
- Integrations with VSCode extension (on Keel's list, not Buoy's)
Side by side
- What it is
- Buoy:Buoy provides in-app devtools for React Native, Expo and (beta) Flutter to inspect network, logs, storage and app state on mobile or desktop.
- Keel:Keel provides a code-first backend platform with instant internal tools, schema-driven APIs, and full-stack operations features.
- Best for
- Buoy:In-app inspection of mobile apps
- Keel:Code-first backend with built-in internal tools
- Who it’s for
- Buoy:React Native developers, QA, support teams, and mobile app teams needing runtime inspection.
- Keel:Engineers building operational backends and internal tools for fast-moving teams
- Pricing
- Buoy:Freemium
- Keel:Contact sales
- Plans
- Buoy:Free $0 · Solo $9/mo per month · Business $45/seat/mo per month
- Keel:—
- Open source
- Buoy:—
- Keel:Yes
- Works with
- Buoy:React Native, Expo, Claude Code, Cursor, Codex
- Keel:VSCode extension
Buoy features
- Network inspector. Shows fetch/XHR calls, headers, bodies and timing without a proxy, with unlimited capture on paid plans.
- Console & logs. Displays app logs and state in real time on phone or desktop.
- Storage viewer. Lists storage keys and values, with read/write/delete on paid plans.
- React Query tool. Explore, refetch and invalidate queries directly from the app.
- Performance bench. Records FPS, CPU and memory to compare runs on real devices.
- Custom tools. Add your own React components as Buoy tools for unlimited extensibility.
Keel features
- Schema-driven data model. Define data models, actions, and permissions in a clear schema that generates APIs and internal tools.
- TypeScript extensions. Write custom functions, jobs, and durable functions in TypeScript with full type safety.
- Version-controlled environments. Create multiple environments, branch deployments, and PR previews with audit trails.
- Built-in testing framework. Generate type-safe end-to-end tests from the schema for actions, functions, and jobs.
- Instant internal tools. Automatically generate UI tools for ops teams that stay in sync with schema changes.
- Serverless infrastructure. Managed, multi-region PostgreSQL and serverless runtime scales from first to millionth user.
Buoy vs Keel FAQ
Is Buoy or Keel free?+
Buoy has a free plan; paid plans start at $9/month (Solo).
Is Buoy or Keel open source?+
Keel is open source (teamkeel/keel on GitHub). DevHunt has no public source repository on record for Buoy.
Do Buoy and Keel integrate with the same tools?+
Their integration lists don't overlap: Buoy lists React Native, Expo, Claude Code, Cursor and 1 more; Keel lists VSCode extension.
On DevHunt
Based on each tool's website and DevHunt data. Details may change; check the official sites.